Address  adopted  by  the  Anti-Imperialist  League/        ^  & 

FEBRUARY    lO,   1899. 

The  full   ratification  of  the  Treaty  with  Spain  will  cause  a  technical  change 
in  the  relations  of  the  United  States  to  the  Philippine  Islands,  but  will  afford  no- 
reason  for  any  change  of  the  purposes  of  the  Anti-Imperialists  in  reganl  to  the 
future  of  the    islands,  nor    will    it    in  the    least    alfect    the    clear    duty  of   this 
Kepublie. 

We  are  now  engaged  in  warfare  with  the  inliabitants  of  those  islands  It  is 
unprofitable  to  discuss  the  question  as  to  which  party  began  hostilities.  Xo  other 
result  could  have  been  expected,  when  the  lines  of  two  opposing  luilitarv  forces 
were  held  so  close  and  in  such  tense  condition  that  little  was  needed  to  cause  an 
explosion. 

Certain  facts,  however,  are  beyond  dispute :  that  Aguinaldo  was  brought  to 
the  islands  by  our  own  warship^  that  his  aid  was  accepted  and  desired  in  our 
military  operations  against  the  Spaniards,  and  that  liopes  of  independence  were 
encouraged  by  our  consuls  and  other  officers.  It  is  equally  indisputable  that  a 
parliament  of  the  islands,  organized  by  representatives  elected  by  IsG  towns  and 
provinces,  chose  Aguinaldo  President  and  framed  a  constitution,  Mhich  was  pro- 
mulgated, defining  the  powers  and  duties  of  the  separate  departments  of  the 
government  with  remarkable  clearness  and  ability  ;  that  the  government  so  formed 
beyond  a  doubt  represented  fairly  the  people  of  the  islands  and  probably  with 
quite  as  much  fairness  as  tlic  Continental  Congress  in  Philadelphia,  in  1775,  rep- 
resented t!ie  people  of  the  tliirteen  States. 

It  is  also  undeniable  that  on  January  5  President  McKiuley  issued  a  procla- 
mation through  General  Otis,  declaring  that  on  the  10th  of  the  previous  month 
the  P]uli])pine  Islands  had  been  ceded  to  this  country  by  Spain  by  the  signature 
of  the  Treaty  of  Paris,  and  further  ordered  him  to  extend  the  military  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  "to  the  whole  of  the  ceded  territory,"  and  to  demand 
the  surrender  of  Iloilo,  which  was  then  held  by  the  Filipinos  in  an  orderlv  man- 
ner by  capture  fron^.  the  Spaniards. 

It  cannot  be  claimed  in  law  that  this  assumption  of  power  was  warranted  in 
advance  of  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty  by  both  parties,  and  there  can  he  no 
doubt  that  the  arbitrary  claim  greatly  aggravated  the  people  of  the  islands,  whose 
hope  of  independence  seemed  thus  rudely  destroyed. 

No  declaratory  resolution  as  to  the  future  of  the  islands  was  assented  to  by 
the  Administration  before  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty  by  the  Senate,  and  none 
lias  been  made  since. 

Any  right  that  we  assert  to  ownership  of  the  Philippines  must  rest,  therefore, 
either  upon  conquest  or  upon  purchase  from  their  Spanish  oppressors,  or  upon 
both,  and  in  any  case  it  is,  as  we  believe,  inconsistent  with  the  principles  of  this 
Republic,  and  fraught  with  danger  to  its  peace  and  to  the  peace  of  the  Avorld. 

The  first  result  we  already  witness,  a  war  of  subjugation,  which  must  em- 
bitter the  people  we  seek  to  rule,  and  v.hich,  however  successful,  must  l)ring  dis- 
aster and  dcisth  to  our  soldiers,  and  unmeasured  cost  to  our  people. 

Profoundly  impressed  with  the  seriousness  of  the  situation,  it  is  the  purpose 
of  the  Anti-Imj^erialists  to  continue  the  circulation  of  literature,  to  assist  in  the 
formation  of  leagues,  and  by  public  meetings,  and  ever}-  proper  means  known 
to  a  free  people,  to  agitate  for  the  revival  in  the  land  of  the  spirit  of  Washington 
and  Lincoln,  to  protest  against  a  spirit  of  militarism  and  force,  to  oppose  the 
colonial  idea  ami  a  permanently  large  standing  army,  and  to  assert  the  vital 
truths  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  embodied  in  the  Constitution  and 
indissolubly  connected  with  the  welfare  of  this  Republic. 

They  urge,  tlierefore,  all  lovei-s  of  freedom,  without  regard  to  party  associa- 
tions, to  cooperate  with  them  to  the  following  ends  : 

First.  That  our  government  shall  take  immediate  steps  towards  a  suspen- 
sion of  hostilities  in  the  Philippines  and  a  conference  with  the  Philippine  leaders, 
with  a  view  to  preventing  further  bloodshed  upon  the  basis  of  a  recognition  of 
their  freedom  and  independence  as  soon  as  proper  guarantees  can  be  hail  of  order 
and  protection  to  property. 

Second.  That  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  shall  tender  an  oflScial 
assurance  to  the  inliabitants  of  the  Philippine  Islands  that  they  will  encourage 
and  assist  in  the  organization  of  such  a  government  in  the  islands  as  the  people 
thereof  shall  prefer,  and  that  upon  its  organization  in  stable  manner  the  United 
States,  in  accordance  with  its  traditional  and  prescriptive  policy  in  such  cases, 
will  recognize  the  independence  of  the  Philippines  and  its  equality  among  nations, 
andgraduallv  withdraw  all  military  and  naval  forces. 


REPMT  OF  THE  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE  OF  THE  ANTI- 
IMPERIALIST   LEAGUE, 

FEBRUARY    10,    1899. 

Till.'  uK'L'ting  wliic'h  led  tu  the  foniiation  of  the  Aiiti-luiperiali^t  League  was 
hellion  the  Itith  of  Noveuiher  last.  Its  constitution  declares  it>  object  :  '-To 
oppose  by  every  legitimate  means  the  acquisition  of  the  Tliilippine  Islands,  or  of 
any  colonies  away  from  our  shores,  by  the  United  States.'"  A  President,  vSecre- 
tary,  and  Treasurer,  witli  six  other  persons,  act  as  an  Executive  Committee 
having  charge  of  the  business  of  the  League.  It  ha-:  a  list  of  eighteen  Vice- 
rresidcnts. 

An  address  to  tile  people,  and  a  form  of  ])etiliun  a>  follo\\  s.  were  promul- 
gated November  II)  : 

"  Til  the  President  am?  Congress  of  the  United  State.^  : 

"The  undersigned  protest  against  any  extension  of  tiie  sovereignty  of  the 
United  States  over  the  Philippine  Islands  in  any  event,  and  over  any  ctJier 
foreign  territory  without  the  free  consent  of  the  people  thereof,  believing  such 
action  would  be  dangerous  to  the  Republic,  wasteful  of  its  resources,  in  viola- 
tion of  constitutional  principles,  and  fraught  with  moral  and  pliysical  evils  to  our 
peopli'." 

These  petitions  have  been  presented  to  the  Scn;ite  by  llie  Hon.  Tieorge  F. 
Hoar. 

Seventei'U  meetings  of  the  Executive  Committee  iiave  been  held,  at  all  of 
which  a  quorum  was  present. 

An  inadequate  summary  of  the  labors  of  the  committee  follows  :  We  have 
printed  and  distributed  :  Address  to  the  People  of  the  United  States  ;  a  form  of 
petition  on  sheets  and  cards;  descriptive  circular  explaining  the  method  of  dis- 
tributing these  cards ;  letter  to  labor  unions ;  leaflet  containing  letter  by  Mr. 
Andrew  Carnegie,  Nov.  20.  hS'JS,  entitled  Commercial  Expansion  v.  Colonial 
E.xpansion;  leaflet  with  extract  from  Senator  Hoar's  speech  at  Worcester,  July 
29,  1898;  Ave  Ijroadsidcs  containing  extracts  from  various  writings  and  publica- 
tions favorable  to  our  cause,  and  two  of  ministerial  utterances,  and  a  panipldet 
reproducing  these  two;  four  of  Governor  IJoutv.ell's  siiecches ;  letti'r  to  the 
American  Conference  on  International  Arljitratioii ;  the  Hon.  (ieorge  F. 
Edmunds's  letter  to  the  "New  York  World";  letter  to  senators  urging  them  to 
stand  Arm  against  the  treaty  in  its  original  form,  and  a  final  a|)peal  made  to  indi- 
vidual senators ;  postal-card  circular  urging  individual  members  of  the  League 
to  Avrite  or  telegraph  their  senators  to  oppose  the  treaty  ;  letter  of  thanks  to  the 
twenty-nine  senators  who  were  paired  or  voted  against  the  treaty;  circular  appeal 
for  funds. 

We  have  been  presented  with  a  large  number  of  copies  for  distribution  of 
various  valuable  jjublications  and  purchased  others,  as  follows:  Kesolutions  and 
Address  at  a  Faneuil  Hall  Meeting,  June  15,  1898;  speech  at  Lexington  Dec. 
20,  1898,  before  the  Lexington  Historical  Society  by  tiie  Hon.  Charles  Francis 
Adani.s,  entitled,  Hnperialism  and  tlie  Tracks  of  our  Forefathers;  i)ami)hlet  of 
Mr.  Francis  A.  IJrooks,  entitled  Objections  to  the  President's  Proposed  Sub- 
jugation of  the  Filipinos;  address  of  the  Hon.  Carl  Schurz  at  Chicago;  the 
llev.  Henry  Van  Dyke's  Sermon,  Thanksgiving  Day,  1898,  entitled  American 
Birthright  and  Philippine  Pottage;  address  of  Dr.  Lewis  Janes,  at  Cambridge, 
Jan.  12,  1899,  entitled  The  Short  Way  with  the  Filipinos;  Voice  of  the  Farmer, 
selections  from  agricultural  papers  ;  pamphlet  and  appendix.  The  Hell  of  AVar  and 
The  Cost  of'a  National  Crime,  by  Edward  Atkinson ;  speech  of  the  Hon.  George 
F.  Hoar,  Jan.  9,  1899,  No  Constitutional  Power  to  conquer  Foreign  Nations  and 
hold  People  in  Subjection  against  their  Will;  si)eech  of  tlie  Hon.  W.  E.  Mason, 
Jan.  10,  1899,  As  to  Government  of  Foreign  Nations  without  their  Consent ;  vari- 
ous newspaper  aiul  manuscript  articdes. 

The  committee  has  opened  offices  in  Washington  and  I'oston  with  no  expt'use 
for  rent  in  cither  jjlace. 

There  has  been  a  very  large  correspondence  in  connection  with  there])lies  to 
ap])eals,  involving  a  multitude  of  responses  while  sending  out  literi'.tiire.  Branch 
or  iiulependent  organizations  have  been  established  in  many  cities,  and  the  agri- 
cultural and  labor  interests  have  been  thoroughly  roused.  Having  no  funds 
to  spend  for  canvassing,  the  work  has  been  done  by  volunteers,  often  by  poor 


men  using  tbeir  scanty  leisure  before  an!  after  tlieir  hours  of  labor.  In,many 
sections  of  the  country  our  correspomlents  report  that  not  ten  per  cent,  of  the 
phiin  people  favor  annexation. 

A  small  expense  wt  s  incurred  by  the  committee  in  advertisements  in  some 
of  the  newspapers  having  the  largest  circulation  in  the  northwest  and  one  or  two 
southern  States,  inviting  correspondence  from  persons  wlio  felt  the  danger  of  the 
impending  crisis,  and  these  advertisements  led  to  a  very  large  munber  of  replies. 
We  have  supplied  siieake.'s  for  meetings  and  have  in  many  other  ways  aroused 
active  interest  in  the  cause. 

The  Secretary  made  three  visits  to  AVashington :  one  to  wait  upon  the  Presi- 
dent and  the  others  to  interview  Senators  and  to  establish  and  look  after  the 
atfairs  of  the  office  in  AVashington. 

The  League  has  had  no  expense  save  clerk  hire,  travel,  and  the  cost  of  post- 
age, stationer}',  and  printing,  and  its  Avork  could  not  have  progressed  without  a 
remarkable  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  anil  devotion  throughout  the  land,  to  tlie  con- 
stitutional principles  of  our  country. 

The  interest  in  the  work  shows  no  signs  of  flagging.  A  large  number  of 
corrt-spondents  have  interested  themselves  in  promoting  local  meetings  in  various 
places  on  the  22d  of  February  to  maintain  the  principles  of  the  organization,  in 
spite  of  the  recent  action  of  the  Senate. 

The  present  memliership  of  the  .Vnti-Imperialist  League  is  considerablv 
over   25,000. 

.As  to  the  future,  the  committee  cannot  feel  the  slightest  doubt  that  it  is  the 
duty,  and  will  be  the  wish,  of  the  League,  to  continue  immediately,  aggressively, 
and  persistently  the  great  work  in  which  it  has  a!re;idy  attained  so  encouraging 
a  share  of  success,  the  work  of  rousing  and  educating  ])ublic  opinion  in  defence 
of  the  most  sacred  fundamental  principles  of  lil)erty,  and  in  opposition  to  the 
un-American  and  daiigerous  tendency  towards  imperialism  and  militarism. 

The  committee  believes  that  the  preparation  and  wide  distribution  of  suitable 
literature  is  important,  and  should  be  steadily  pursued. 

It  believes,  too,  that  the  protests  against  the  assumption  of  sovereignty 
should  be  circulated  for  signatures  tin-ough  the  entire  country,  and  when  returned 
sent  to  the  present  or  the  next  Congress. 

It  believes  that  the  effort  to  secure  tlie  formation  of  branch  or  inde- 
pendent Leagues  in  other  States  should  bo  continued,  and  that  especially  every 
effort  should  be  made  to  strengthen  the  Anti-Imperialist  position  of  labor  and 
agricultural  unions  and  organizations. 

KRVIN-G  WINS  LOW, 

Secretary. 


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